Description

EPA's Pacific Northwest Regional Office (Region 10) focuses on EPA's work and mission in Alaska, Idaho, Oregon, Washington, and Pacific Northwest Indian Country. Environmental focus areas include air quality, ecosystems, Superfund, water quality, and waste and chemical management. These issues are addressed through enforcement and compliance, grants, environmental data and assessment, environmental education, and environmental justice.

In spring 2010, after a competitive bidding process, EPA awarded a new lease for its Region 10 Office to the same building in which it was already located: Park Place, a 21-story office building in downtown Seattle. EPA and the U.S. General Services Administration (GSA) collaborated on the new lease, which incorporated requirements for sustainable features from EPA's Best Practice (Environmental) Lease Provisions; included provisions to pursue compliance with Executive Order (EO) 13423, the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (EISA), the Environmental Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 2005), and the Guiding Principles for Federal Leadership in High Performance and Sustainable Buildings; and required the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC's) LEED® certification for new construction or existing buildings.

Environmental Features

Energy Conservation

In October 2004, the Region 10 Office building received the ENERGY STAR® with a score of 81, in 2008 with a score of 86, and continued to improve in 2010 with a score of 90.

As part of the LEED certification process, a thermographic inspection of the building was conducted in March 2009 to locate problem areas of heat loss in the building envelope, which could then be corrected. The inspection determined that the building did not have major heat leakage in its envelope.

Water Conservation

A satellite-controlled irrigation system utilizes 50 percent less water than a conventional system.

Plumbing upgrades were made to reduce overall potable water use by 10 percent over standard flow rates.

Stormwater Management

The Region 10 Office has 17,126 square feet of green roof, including a 7,360 square foot, plaza-level green roof that covers a parking garage and a 9,766 square foot roof-top green roof, which combined capture more than 50 percent of annual rainfall.

Waste Reduction and Recycling - Construction

During September 2009, 100 percent of the waste from construction activity on the building's 19th floor was recycled.

Waste Reduction and Recycling - Operations

Through a comprehensive occupant recycling program, EPA collects and recycles more than 75 percent of its solid waste.

Other Features

A sophisticated Web interface allows tenants, building staff, and Seattle citizens to see the operation of the building in real time, including water capture and reuse, as well as all lighting, general purpose and heating,
ventilation, and air-conditioning (HVAC) loads.

All building operation and maintenance staff receive at least 24 hours of high quality and relevant building operation and maintenance (O&M) education on building and building systems operation, maintenance, and sustainable building performance.